The flagella stain allows observation of bacterial flagella
under the light microscope. Bacterial flagella are normally too
thin to be seen under such conditions. The flagella stains employs a
mordant to coat the flagella with stain until they are thick enough to
be seen. These staining techniques are typically very difficult.
Because of this, you will not be performing a flagella stain this semester,
but there are prepared slide of flagella stains available for you to
view.

Many bacteria are motile; some accomplish this motility by means of
flagella. Flagella can vary by number and location. Some bacteria
only have one flagella; this is called monotrichous. In most monotrichous
bacteria, the flagella is at the end of the cell; this placement is called
polar. Some bacteria have a flagella at either end of the cell; this
arrangement is called amphitrichous. Many bacteria have multiple flagella;
these may all be located in a tuft at one end of the cell, in which case
the arrangement is lophotrichous, or they may be all over the cell, in
which case the arrangement is peritrichous.